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indeed been enforced by the firft of the above writers and 

 others, by obferving that the price of wheat feldom ad- 

 vances much, even in very Icarce years, until a confidcrable 

 portion of the crop has been thre(hed out, and the yield of 

 it by this means afcertained, but that this does not take 

 place until the feed-time of winter wheat is wholly over and 

 pall ; no fpeculation, confequently, of fowing an increafed 

 quantity of that grain, can be entered into, during the firit 

 year of a fcarcity ; but before the end of April, the quef- 

 tiou of the average yield of the preceding crop will be 

 generally known, and when it is much below the ufual pro- 

 portion, there can, it i« fuppofed, be no doubt, that a large 

 quantity of fpring wheit will be fown, if the feed can be 

 eajily procured. And that when there is, in the early 

 fpring months, any general appearance of defect or defi- 

 ciency in the autumnal fown crops, from whatever cau*e it 

 may arife, fpring wheat ought to be fown, in fuch propor- 

 tion as may fuffice for yielding a produce equivalent to 

 fuch probable defect or deficiency : and that if the ftock 

 of wheat on hand fhould prove fcanty, or of inferior 

 quality, either from mildew or other caufes, there is, on 

 thefe accounts, a neceiiity to have recourfe to the fowing 

 of fpring wheat, in order to augment and increafe the 

 Hock on hand. It is thought more elpecially neceffary 

 by the writer of the " Inquiry," to promote the cultiva- 

 tion and growth of fpring wheat in a more general manner, 

 becaufe, unlefs it be grown to fome extent, no quantity of 

 feed will be capable of being procured, however neceliary 

 it may become from the circumltances of the times, as for 

 inltance, a complete failure of the winter-fown wheat, at 

 once to increafe the quantity that is to be fown. And 

 that though fpring wheat may not be fo faleable, in 

 favourable feafons, as winter wheat, at lealt in the metro- 

 polis, and its immediate neighbourhood ; yet as it can be 

 raifed in various pans of the country, where winter wheat 

 will not grow ; and as it may be applied to different ufeful 

 purpofes bcfides the article of bread ; there is no reafon, it 

 18 fuppofed, why the cultivation of it (hould not be pro- 

 moted. It \i always a refource which can be reforted to 

 in times of fcarcity, with much more advantage to the 

 country than importing foreign grain, to the difgrace, and 

 it might almoft be added, it is faid, to the dellruftion of 

 the agriculture of this country. There are fome, however, 

 who think foreign wheats more valuable and ufeful than 

 thofe of this country, as will be feen in fpeaking of 

 wheat. See Wheat. 



It is faid, that it has been objefted to the grain of this 

 fort of fpring wheat, that it is of a hard and flinty quality ; 

 but that our millers find no difficulty in grinding it ; and it 

 is well known, that the harder and more flinty the pickle, 

 the belter and livelier is the flour. The moll flinty wheat, 

 it is remarked, may be ground with facihty, when properly 

 damped. And that the French, when in Egypt, were 

 taught by the millers there, to fuffer their wheat to lleep a 

 few hours in water, and the grain, when afterwards dried in 

 the fun, was ground without difficulty. In this country, 

 it is fuggelled that it might be kiln dried, or otherwife, 

 perhaps, by fire heat. 



The fame writer obfervee, it is alfo faid, that barley is 

 a fafer crop, and that oats would be more profitable. In 

 regard to fafety, no crop, it is faid, can be more certain 

 than fpring wheat, when it is fown in a proper feafon, with 

 good, well wafhed, or pickled feed, in the manner already 

 ftated, and on land properly prepared for Us reception ; and 

 as to profit, were a crop of oats to be equally, or even more 

 valuable, which is far from being the cafe, yet fuch a 

 fcourger or exhaullcr of the ground could not be recom- 



mended, in preference to a crop that does not exhauft or 

 deteriorate the land more than barley would ; and yet, if 

 other crops of wheat Ihtuld fail, would be much more va- 

 luable and ufeful. 



In the metropolis, however, it is faid, where they are 

 accullomed to the finelt wheats, and where fafliioii and 

 habit render it neceflary to make the bread as white as pof- 

 fible, this kind of wheat is objefted to as coarfe, thick- 

 fkinned, and as producing clammy flour. It confequently 

 finds no favour with the millers in the neighbourliood of 

 that great city, who, it is faid, in times of Icarcity, would 

 only buy it in Imall quantities, at a price two-thirds lower 

 than that of the common forts ; and in years of medium 

 produce, would not purchafe it, in quantities, at almoll any 

 price. Ttiis, however, it is f;dd, is altogether owing to 

 the prejudices and habits of a rich and luxurious capital, 

 and will not probably influence the relt of the kingdom. 

 Befides, if it be thought ellential for the public interefl 

 always to have a confiderable quantity of this fpecics or fort 

 of corn grown in this country as a nal tonal Tiiourct;, the policy 

 of which, it is tiiought, would feem unqueftionable, govern- 

 ment might in various ways promote the fale of tins fpring 

 fort of wheat ; as, by permitting the exportation of it, when 

 the price is ten fhillings the quarter lels than that of other 

 wheat ; by reflrifting the manufafture of tlarch to the ufe 

 of it, if it can be employed in that way ; by permitting the 

 confumption of this fort of wheat in the dillilleries, while 

 a prohibition exifts as to other wheats ; by making all the 

 bifcuiti for the navy of it alone, as it feems pecuharly 

 well fuited for that ufe ; and probably by different other 

 means. 



It is ftated, it is faid, that thefe advantages cannot be 

 given to fpring wheat, becaufe it is impoffible to dillin- 

 guifh it "from coarfe or partially mildewed winter wheat ; 

 but fome rifl< mull be run, the writer thinks, to infure fo 

 great a public objedl and advantage as a regular fupply of 

 food by domejlk induflry. And if fome low-priced or da- 

 maged winter wheats were mixed with fpring wheat, and 

 exported, dillilled, or made into ftarch, it is not feen that 

 any injury or inconvenience from fuch a circumftance would 

 be fultained by the public. It is better, it is fuppofed, ex- 

 cept in inllances of dearth and fcarcity, to get rid of in- 

 ferior wheats in any way, than in bread. 



In regard to the forts of land, and the fituations in which 

 this fort of wheat can be produced, it has been found, 

 that almofl all the kind?, from the clayey marly defcrip- 

 tions, to thofe of the light fandy forts, are capable of 

 affording it ; but that it is obvioully tlie moll fuited to 

 fuch light lauds as are remarkable for promoting a quick 

 vegetation and growth in the grain. And it is of great 

 importance to be known, that land of the fenny kind, 

 with a bottom of the turf-earthy fort, is particularly 

 calculated for the growth of this fort of wheat, and that 

 it riles in a more quick and fpeedy manner on fuch land 

 than on any other kind. Lands of this quality not being 

 well fuited to the growth of winter wheat, which is liable 

 to be thrown out of them by Irofly feafons, oh account of 

 their lightnel's ; by having all fuch lands, in the different 

 parts of the united kingdom, fown in fuitable courfes with 

 fpring wheat, a valt Icarcely calculable advantage, it is 

 tiiought, would be produced. 



It is alfo a matter of very great moment, it is f.iid, that 

 fpring wheat is capable of being grown in diflferent dillriitls 

 where winter wheat cannot be railed at all, nor any other 

 fort of crop of nearly the fame value or importance ; as, 

 for inllance, in tlie northern parts or Highlands of Scoti.ind, 

 where they grow an inferior fort of barley, commonly called 



heat 



